# fertilize vs fertilizer

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### fertilize
*verb · IPA /ˈfɜː(ɹ)tɪlaɪz/ · frequency rank #46,461*
To make (the soil) more fertile by adding nutrients to it.

### fertilizer
*noun · IPA /ˈfɜːtəlaɪzə/ · frequency rank #16,708*
A natural substance that is used to make the ground more suitable for growing plants.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fertilize-vs-fertilizer